In the 2022 postseason run, the Philadelphia Phillies main contributors were Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Rhys Hoskins, along with pitchers Zack Wheeler and Austin Nola. The main struggle that kept them from winning the World Series was inconsistent play along with bad pitching.
This offseason, they've made some big moves to acquire the talent needed to win a World Series. The only hope is that they can all stay hot because getting cold could end it all.
Phillies who need to step up: 5. Bryson Stott
Bryson Stott struggled quite a bit in the 2022 postseason. Since then, he's turned into one of the best second basemen, hitting 15 home runs and 59 RBIs while also batting .287 in 138 games.
Stott has hit in many places in the order but mostly has been in the No. 5 or No. 5 slot. While he won't carry them to postseason glory, as long as he can stay consistent in bringing in runners, he could be a massive help.
In the 2022 postseason, he struggled, going 0-of-14 with 5 strikeouts but also walked 4 times. For them to win that glory, he needs to show consistency in the biggest of moments. In the 2023 regular season, he's shown his ability in high-leverage situations. In 89 at-bats, he hit 2 home runs, collected 25 RBIs, and hit .281.
Phillies who need to step up: 4. Trea Turner
Trea Turner has emerged as one of the fan-favorite players in Philly. While he started the season rocky, he's been nothing but dominant since receiving fan support in a standing ovation. In the World Baseball Classic and prior playoff runs with the Nationals and Dodgers, he's shown that when the game is on the line, he can help lead a team to a postseason victory.
In the 2023 season, he's played in 142 games so far, hitting 26 home runs and bringing in 75 RBIs, along with batting .270. While it's not his best season, he has led teams in the past and could do so now. While having limited success in the playoffs with the Dodgers, if his bat gets cold, it could cost the Phillies deeply.
Phillies who need to step up: 3. Bryce Harper
Bryce Harper has been one of the best signings the Phillies have made in recent history. While he has limited postseason experience, his first run with the Phillies in 2023 was magical showing the type of player he is — a born leader. Harper has played in 36 postseason games and has hit .273, along with 11 home runs and 23 RBIs. He has been one of the best postseason hitters in recent history.
In the 2022 postseason, Harper won NLCS MVP, hitting .400 with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs, leading them to a series victory and securing them a World Series spot. However, they sadly fell to the Astros after their bats went cold and pitchers struggled.
All of his postseason success came after having to undergo Tommy John surgery, which usually takes 12-18 months to recover from. He came back in a record-breaking time of 160 days and still led his team in an attempt to win the highest glory in baseball.
Phillies who need to step up: 2. Zack Wheeler
In every deep playoff run, you need a good pitcher, and with Zack Wheeler, that's what you get. While he struggled overall in the 2022 postseason, in the NLCS, he helped the Phillies secure a trip to the World Series versus the Astros. He pitched 13 innings with a record of 1-0, only giving up 2 runs in the NLCS. While he did struggle in the World Series, that's to be expected when you've never been to the postseason before.
In 2023, he has struggled quite a bit, holding a record of 11-6 with an ERA of 3.70. But now, he has fire in his eyes, looking for another chance to win it all and claim the glory for himself. Along with having a better offense around him, he's likely to be more relaxed and try not to do everything himself.
He's been a better pitcher than you see by looking at his stats, with an xERA (Expected ERA) of just 3.19, which shows that he's given up more runs than we would expect, while also improving massively with his 4-seam fastball, now being harder to hit than ever before with a batting average against of just .199.
Phillies who need to step up: 1. Ranger Suarez
Ranger Suarez has shocked many baseball fans, showing how dominant he can be as a pitcher. In his first season as a part-time starter, 2021, he played in 39 games with 12 starts and pitched 106 innings with an ERA of 1.36. While he's not performing like that again in the 2023 regular season, he has performed well in the limited postseason innings he has pitched in. In total, he pitched 14.2 innings in the 2022 postseason, holding a record of 2-0 with an ERA of 1.23.
Most of his success came off the back of his deadly sinker, but in the 2023 season, he's struggled with it, letting batters hit .295 instead of between .210 and .220 in previous seasons. He's dominated with his curveball, but so far in 2023, that's really been his only good pitch, with all of the rest of his pitches struggling and giving up many hits.
Prior to this season, he used his sinker between 40-45 percent of the time, but he has instead relied on his other pitches in 2023, only using it 27.6 percent of the time, while using his curveball and cutter almost twice as much. The main problem in 2023 has been that he's been giving up too many hard-hit balls while being a ground-ball pitcher.
One promising fact is his xERA (Expected ERA) is at 4.38, showing that he's been overperforming with his 3.93 ERA, which means acquiring Trea Turner to pair alongside Bryson Stott in the middle infield has been working out, as they've been saving runs for him.